Gum inflammation is a condition where the gums become swollen, red, and bleed when brushing teeth. This is a common dental disease that seriously affects oral health. So what are the symptoms, causes, and treatments for gum inflammation? Let's find out through the article below.

Symptoms of gum inflammation

Inflamed gums will have the following manifestations:

• The gums are swollen, enlarged, and red
• The gums bleed when brushing teeth or using dental floss
• The gums grow to cover the teeth
• Bad breath due to bacteria accumulation on the gums
• The gums recede, exposing the tooth roots
• Teeth become loose

These symptoms can appear on a few teeth or the entire dental arch. If the gum inflammation worsens, the gums can become necrotic and cause tooth loss.

Causes of gum inflammation

Gum inflammation has many different causes. Below are the most common causes of gum inflammation:

Bacteria accumulation on tooth surfaces

Bacteria like Streptococcus mutans and Porphyromonas gingivalis are the main "culprits" that cause gum inflammation. They live in the gaps between teeth and under plaque layers. When the bacteria count increases over time, they secrete toxins that cause gum inflammation, progressing to periodontal disease. If plaque is not removed, the bacteria will spread and cause increasingly serious damage.

Poor oral hygiene

Not brushing teeth and using dental floss properly leaves behind too much food residue, creating an ideal environment for bacteria to multiply. This makes the gums prone to irritation and infection. People who do not pay attention to daily oral hygiene are at much higher risk of gum disease than those who take good care of their teeth.

Smoking

Tobacco smoke contains thousands of harmful chemicals that can directly destroy gum tissues. Nicotine constricts blood vessels that nourish the gums, making them prone to bleeding and necrosis, especially severe in long-term smokers.

Immune deficiency

In people with immunodeficiency due to conditions like HIV/AIDS, the body's resistance decreases, making the gums highly susceptible to infection. If untreated, gum inflammation can progress and lead to necrosis.

Hormonal disorders

Changes in female sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone) during pregnancy and menopause make women more prone to gum inflammation and bleeding. Elderly men with decreased male hormones also tend to have increased gum inflammation.

Stress

Prolonged stress leads to increased cortisol, causing inflammation and affecting the immune system. Stress also causes many people to develop teeth grinding habits, which worsens gum damage.

Gum inflammation is often the result of various causes, principally the effects of bacteria. Therefore, treating gum inflammation requires eliminating both bacteria and other risk factors.

Dangerous complications of gum disease

If not treated promptly, gum inflammation can lead to the following dangerous complications:

• Periodontitis: Severely inflamed gums can spread to surrounding tooth tissues, causing pain and loose teeth.
• Pulpitis: Inflammation spreads into the tooth pulp causing severe pain when eating hot, cold, or sweet foods.
• Bone loss: Severe gum inflammation causes damage to the bone supporting teeth, leading to loose and lost teeth.
• Blood infection: Severe gum inflammation may allow bacteria to enter the blood, causing systemic infection.
• Glomerulonephritis: Can cause kidney damage due to bacteria from the mouth invading.

Patients with gum inflammation need to get treated early to avoid life-threatening complications.

>> See more: How to properly care for your teeth to prevent bad breath

Effective treatments for gum inflammation

To effectively treat gum inflammation, patients need to combine different treatment methods. Below are the main treatments:

Maintain good oral hygiene

To treat gum inflammation, patients need to maintain good oral hygiene properly. This helps remove plaque and harmful bacteria from the gums. Patients should brush properly twice a day, at least 2 minutes each time, and use dental floss to clean between teeth. Brushing should be very gentle to avoid further irritating the inflamed gums.

Rinse mouth frequently

To support treating gum inflammation, patients should rinse their mouth frequently using antibacterial solutions like saline or specialized mouthwashes. This helps cleanse the inflamed gums and prevent bacterial growth. Patients need to rinse properly so the solution penetrates deeply between teeth.

Use prescribed medication correctly

Additionally, patients need to use medication as prescribed by the doctor. Common drugs used include antibiotics, anti-inflammatories to control infection. Combining oral medication and topical medication brings the best treatment results.

Eliminate causes

To prevent recurrence, it’s necessary to thoroughly treat the causes of gum inflammation like quitting smoking, treating underlying disease, reducing stress. Removing risk factors will limit recurrence.

Dental treatment

Patients also need specialized dental treatment like scaling, pulp treatment, root planing to completely remove infection sites. Extracting loose teeth is also necessary to prevent infection from spreading.

At Champion Dental Clinic, patients will receive advice from dentists on the appropriate treatments for their specific gum inflammation condition. With excellent dentists and modern facilities, Champion Dental Clinic commits to deliver the best gum inflammation treatment results for patients.

Conclusion

Gum inflammation is a common dental disease that seriously impacts oral health if not treated properly. It can lead to dangerous complications like loose teeth, tooth loss, or even systemic infection.

Therefore, when signs of gum inflammation appear, patients need to visit a reputable dental clinic promptly for timely examination and treatment, avoiding progression of the disease. Please contact Champion Dental Clinic to receive comprehensive and most effective support in treating gum inflammation.

Champion Dental Clinic

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中文: (028) 5411-2297 172 Nguyen Luong Bang, Tan Phu Ward, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City.

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